Tea Time with Elsa

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 160

Chatting about: It doesn’t matter why…
In this episode I talk about the question why. As a teacher, people ask me why all the time, and as a researcher I love the question why. We can simplify the question “why” versus the question “what” by looking at our time frame. What is an in the moment question. “With the information that I have, what are we going to do now?” Why is a reflective question. “Why did my horse do that?” When we have all the time in the world we can ponder “why” forever. But when we are in the moment we ask what response do I take to best suit this situation. When we question “why” too much we can find ourselves analyzing the past. When we think about what, we often find ourselves in the present, ready to respond to our horse in that moment, to show them we are listening. When our relationship with our horse feels like it’s getting better, on an improving scale, the question why doesn’t matter. When our relationship feels like it’s getting worse, on a degrading scale, we can ask why to understand what is not working and then what we can do to improve the situation.
Originally aired on: February 7th, 2024

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 159

Chatting about: Apologies…
In this episode I talk about reflecting on the moments that we have experienced with our horses where we feel that we could have done better. As we know better we do better, but before we know better we have to do the best that we can. As we know better, our actions speak louder than words. We can put in our best effort to learn what actions we can take to prove to the horse that we do know better and that we are learning and striving for improvement. When we show our horse that we know them really well, it’s a form of an apology for all the times that we didn’t know them that well, or we didn’t know how best to respond to them, before we had a common language. Don’t get lost in all of the things that we have done wrong. Our job is to apologize and move forward, proving that we do know them better and we can do better.
Originally aired on: January 30th, 2024

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 158

Chatting about: Triggers and glimmers…
In this episode I talk about the reactions that we generate from the memories and associations of certain stimuli in our own lives and our horses’ lives. We rarely can improve a situation in the moment it is happening as there is already an excess of information entering our horse’s nervous system. All of our training is contributing towards future glimmers or future triggers. In Freedom Based Training®, we aim to build positive associations and memories so that in the future when we repeat those things it stimulates glimmers, moments of enjoyment due to linked memories of good feelings from similar stimuli in the past.
Originally aired on: January 23rd, 2024

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 157

Chatting about: Practice levels…
In this episode I talk about the different levels of training. From observing the horse so we can train with a feel and timing that is adapted to the horse, to responding by taking action before the horse gets concerned, to impacting some change in the interactions with the horse.
Originally aired on: January 16th, 2024

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 156

Chatting about: Strength and weakness…
In this episode I talk about how strength and weakness plays in our relationships and motivators for connection. Problem solving together and the act of becoming stronger together is what creates connection and a bond between individuals. In Freedom Based training we want the horse to enjoy and feel good when they have our company, but we don’t want them to feel worse, frustrated or unconfident when they don’t have our company. We aim to build the individual's strength in a way that still creates a bond, connection and good associations with our company, but also improves the horses independence so they are able to help themselves feel good without relying on others.
Originally aired on: January 9th, 2024

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 155

Chatting about: Simplicity and complexity…
In this episode I talk about neither simplicity or complexity being better than one or the other and them both having a time and place in different parts of horse training to improve our learning and understanding and our relationships. We talk about the effectiveness of simplicity and complexity on a spectrum and the parts they both play in our relationship to create points of connection, as well as in our stress levels and problem solving.
Originally aired on: January 3rd, 2024

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 154

Chatting about: Parallel lines…
In this episode I talk about what I have learnt over the years about parallel lines in herd dynamics and horse body language. We talk about horses using parallel lines as a way of being in harmony with each other and the idea that when we are practicing Freedom Based Training® with our horses, making the simple effort to be physically parallel to the horse when we pause in flow can make a profound difference, as well as the fundamental theory of timing around when to pause in parallel flow.
Originally aired on: November 28th, 2023

Teatime with Elsa - Episode 153

Chatting about: Flow…
In this episode I talk about what it means to flow with our horses. In a pragmatic sense, flow, harmony or passive leadership is the rewards system that we build with our horses to respond to the behaviors that we appreciate the most for our relationship. But it can mean so much more than that. Flow is when everything is headed in the same direction. Flow is the acceptance of the reality of that moment. In Freedom Based Training®, we flow on who the horse is in this moment on this day, without the need to change them. We flow with the long, slow, beautiful journey towards the relationship we desire with our horse.
Originally aired on: September 27th, 2023